Insect-killer



( Model.)

B. s. GRIFFITH.

Insect Killer.

No. 237,520. Patented Feb. 8, I88! ATTORNEYS.

.LPETERS. PHUTO-LIYHOGRAFMER. WAsylNGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELISHA S. GRIFFITH, OF GHENT, KENTUCKY.

INSECT-KILLER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 237,520, dated February8, 1881.

Application filed August 12, 1880. (-No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELISHA S. GRIFFITH, of Ghent, in the county ofCarroll and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and ImprovedInsect-Killer, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improvedinsect-killer which is simple in construction and effective in use.

It consists of a bar or rod having a bowl attached to each end, andwhich is pivoted on an upright so that the heavier bowl descends.

The device is placed into a tobacco or like field at night, and thefuelin one of the bowls is ignited, and as it burns out the bowl ascendsand is finally tilted, so that the burning embers drop upon and ignitethe fuel in the other descending bowl, whereby a bright fire is kept up,which attracts the tobacco-flies and other insects and destroys them.

In the accompanying drawing, a perspective View of myimprovedinsect-killeris shown.

Pans or bowls A and A are pivoted in the forked ends of a lever, B,which is provided with several apertures, O G, for adjustably pivotingit on an upright, D, provided with an offset at E, and an arm, F, uponwhich a spring, G, guided by a rod, H, rest-s.

The bowl or cage A is provided with a crank, J, which is connected withthe upright D by means of a chain, K.

The within-described device is used as follows: The upright D is driveninto the ground in a tobacco-field or other plantation, and a quantityof fuel is placed into each of the bowls or cages A A, so that theycounterbalance each other. These weights will vary according to thepoint in which the lever B is pivoted, and the cage A must always beweigh ted sufficiently to press down the spring G. Any desired kind offuel may be used. The fuel in the cage or bowl A isignited as soon asdarkness has set in, and will burn until about or a short time aftermidnight. Then the weight of the fuel in the cage A and the spring Gbegin to act and raise the cage or bowl A, as indicated in dotted lines;but as the crank J is held by the chain K the said bowl cannot resumeits normal position, but is overturned, so that the fire and embers dropfrom the same into the bowl A and ignite the fuel therein, which burnsuntil morning. Thebright flame and glare thus produced by the combustionof the fuel attract all the tobacco-flies and like insects, which flyinto the fire and are destroyed. As the tobacco-fly lays the eggs of thedreaded tobacco-worm it is of the greatest importance to destroy theseinsects as rapidly and effectually as possible.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus for attracting and destroyin g insects, madesubstantially as herein shown and described, and consisting of a bar orrod having-a bowl or cage for fuel pivoted at each forked end of therod,which bar or rod is pivoted to an upright, so that one of the bowlsrises as the fuel contained therein burns out and the other bowldescends, the fuel in the latter being finally ignited by the embersthat dropout of the former, as set forth.

2. The combination,with the standard D, of

the pivoted bar or rod B, pivoted bowls A and A, arm F, and spring G,substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose setforth.

3. The combination, with the standard D, of the bar or rod B, the bowlsA and A, the crank J, and chain K, substantially as herein shown anddescribed, and for the purpose set forth. ELISHA S. GRIFFITH.

Witnesses: I

JOHN HANLON, M. B. HANLON.

